A research paper demonstrates the learning and knowledge gained from class. It is therefore important to show your teacher that you have studied well and applied your learning in a way that is gainful for you. A well-written research paper will serve not only to reinforce your learning. It could be useful for others as a source of information and reference as well. Hence your paper must be well-written, well-prepared, and well-examined. And it must be submitted on time, of course. Below are guidelines to write your research paper. Still, if you don’t want to limit yourself to research paper writing tips, you can take a look at the exhaustive Papers Owl reviews of the best academic writing services that can help you a lot with your writing quest.  

# 1 Manage Time Wisely 

Determine how much time you have and realistically divide it into several important increments. Spend 5% of your time crafting your thesis statement, 5% writing it down, 15% writing an outline of arguments and counterarguments. Moreover, 25% should be devoted to researching the topic, 40% – to actual writing, and the remaining 10% – to polishing. This is just to give you an idea. You’re free to adjust the time as needed. For example, you may allot more time for research and writing. Still, lots of students find themselves pressed for time and thus unable to complete their essays in a timely fashion. That’s when reliable research paper writing services like PapersOwl come in handy. Remember that you can always call on professional writing help if you feel unable to put together a strong research paper.

# 2 Decide on Your Thesis Statement

The thesis is the meat, the foundation of your research paper. You want it to be solid and strong. So, focus you mind on what you want to say, think about the message you want to convey to your readers. Clarify your idea and encapsulate it in your mind. As much as possible, make it to be something you firmly believe in. It will be much easier to write about something you believe in your heart to be true rather than something you doubt.

# 3 Write Down Your Thesis 

Now it’s about time you wrote down your thesis. Make it succinct, clear, and sure.  As you move on to writing your outline, write your introduction to let your reader know why you came up with the thesis. Both your thesis and introduction must be fresh, interesting, thought-provoking, and attention-grabbing to draw your readers into further reading.     

# 4 Write an Outline

Think of arguments to support your thesis and write the ideas out in short sentences. Write as fact as the thoughts occur to you. Imagine that you were talking with a friend, convincing him or her of your point of view. Take care to write down your line of reasoning. Also, think up of possible rebuttals to your arguments or other points of view and then counter them. Remember you’re writing only the outline, so don’t write in paragraphs just yet. Keep items in bullet points in brief. Arrange topics, and headings, and subheadings as applicable and according to the format prescribed by your teacher.

# 5 Do Your Research

Research is a usual bottleneck for writers due to its being quite time-consuming, especially if you don’t know how to work fast and what you’re looking for. This is why it’s important to have an outline that will guide you on specific information you need to find. So, you don’t need to waste time reading lots of useless material. The usual order of things is to study other materials that have been published on your topic. Since you need to produce your research paper fast, you don’t have time to go about it the usual way. To do fast research, take advantage of the online library of your educational institution. Scan the table of contents of each book you consult, find the chapter that seems related to any of the arguments in your outline, and go to that chapter. Pick out relevant information for your reference including citation information. Read the context of the statement, though to make sure you’re not misquoting the author. If you scan and work fast, you can find references for all your arguments in no time. Don’t get caught up reading what doesn’t apply to your research.

# 6 Time to Write

Flesh out the points in paragraph form by using your outline as a guide. Let the ideas flow and write freely. Explain each argument in turn and respond to counter arguments with facts and data. End with the conclusion supporting your thesis in a convincing way.

# 7 Edit

Polish up your writing. Make sure the ideas flow smoothly from one paragraph to another and that the presentation of your arguments is cohesive. Edit grammar and punctuation, eliminate the excess. Tighten up your thesis statement, introduction, and conclusion. These are the things that will leave a lasting impression.

Writing research papers don’t have to be drudgery. Welcome it as part of your growth and development and you’ll succeed in writing strong research papers.